1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for polishing concrete surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method for polishing and repairing concrete walls, floors, and the like.
2. State of the Art
Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials. Because of its strength, durability, ease of manufacture, ease of installation, and relatively low cost, it is frequently the material of choice for floors, walls, and the like. However, there are many instances where it is desirable to have a floor or wall surface with a pleasing high gloss finish or shine. In such cases, concrete may be overlooked in favor of other more high cost materials such as marble, stone, terrazo, etc.
There are a number of known methods of cleaning and polishing marble and stone surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,493 to Donatelli et al. discloses a fairly typical method for stone polishing including the steps of applying a solution to a stone floor, mechanically polishing with a rotary disk, and removing the slurry. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,751 to Wiand discloses an abrasive rotary polishing disk designed to resist damage from ridges, bumps, and other floor irregularities. These prior art devices and methods deal exclusively with stone floors of various kinds, and do not address the polishing of concrete. Moreover, while these known devices and methods anticipate the use of a liquid lubricant of some kind during polishing to create a slurry.
The use of silicates as abrasives is also well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,644 to Smith et al. discloses a floor cleaning and waxing composition which may include silicate abrasives. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,002 to Davis discloses a floor care maintenance system including a floor finish stripper containing sodium metasilicate. U.S. Pat. No. 1,965,299 to Patterson discloses an abrading and polishing composition for enamels, lacquers, etc., which may include a silicate abrasive agent. U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,992 to Keller discloses a metal polish which contains sodium silicate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,891 to Muhler discloses a household cleaning and polishing composition containing zirconium silicate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,305 to Muhler discloses a dental amalgam polishing composition containing stannous silicate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,218 to Gamble discloses a glass polishing composition containing zirconium silicate. Notably, none of these prior art methods mention or suggest the use of silicates as a polishing compound for concrete.